This past weekend, North High’s theater department put on a production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The production was a modern twist on a classic, with technology, and even social media being incorporated into the creative production.

Julius Caesar is a well known play, and tells the story of the ambitious titular political leader, whose aim is to become dictator of Rome. Early on in the story Caesar is warned that he must “Beware the Ides of March” . The prophecy comes true and Caesar is assassinated by many of his fellow senators as part of a plot led by rival senators Brutus and Cassius. Eventually, after a speech by Mark Antony, an ally of Caesar, public opinion changes, and riots break out because of the political fighting. Eventually, Brutus and Cassius also meet their inevitable death in a powerful ending.

The play, especially with the modern twist, felt incredibly relevant today, and many comparisons can be made to modern politics, especially with the mob mentality, power of social media, and political division. The director, drama teacher Mr. Andrew Wagner expanded on this, saying “ I was having a conversation with my friend about how people didn’t seem to ‘chew their food’ a little bit, and how people got really angry really fast with politics, and that happens often here, so I thought it was a fantastic parallel.” Many tense moments were accentuated with creative lighting, as well as an interactive set!

There were many other creative aspects incorporated into the production, one of which was the pre-show. In the minutes leading up to the show, actors came into the audience, handing out posters and polling them on their opinions of the Roman Senate. This added another level to the production, immersing the audience before the show even began, giving them an idea of what was to come, and just making the overall experience more enjoyable.

Many students were excited to do a Shakespeare production at North. Senior Christopher Yang, who played Octavius Caesar in the production, added that “One of my favorite parts of the rehearsal process was going through the lines, as Shakespeare outclasses most other playwrights, and it’s just on another level.”

Many actors also had fun with the more dramatic aspects of the show. Actor Owen Roubeni, who played Brutus, mentioned that his favorite part of the show was “Dying on stage, because [he’s] never done it before!” The stage combat aspect was another popular choice for many actors. 

North’s production of Julius Caesar is most definitely an exciting glimpse into the future of theater in our school!